Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Gilligans Walk

Let's review what occurred on the third day of creation. First, God gathers the lower waters together so dry land may appear. Then he calls the dry land "earth," and says it shall bring forth vegetation, seed, and trees that yield fruit according to their own kind, that is, "whose seed is in itself," an early reverence to DNA.

The emphasis is very much on the seed-principle, which, in the words of Tomberg, is "the principle of formative force becoming actualized and bringing to visible realization its own inner, invisible shape."

This principle obviously applies to the visible plant world, but also to those virtual trees that grow in paradise, the Trees of Life and Knowledge of Good and Evil.

It would also, according to Tomberg, apply to the seed of Abraham, which implicitly contains the nation of Israel and the words of Jesus -- the latter of which are compared to a seed that can either fall on hard soil or bloom into a new virtual Kingdom, depending upon one's degree of receptivity. Only fertile eggheads need apply.

Furthermore, as Tomberg points out, Jesus explicitly refers to himself as a seed "who must die in order to bear much fruit" -- inviting a comparison of Christian history to a seed and its development: its germination, sprouting, and growth.

The implicit message is that life and growth cannot simply involve static life, which isn't life at all. Rather, inherent to life is its own "sacrifice" in order for life to increase. The acorn dies but is resurrected as the oak. Thus, even in the plant world we see a relationship between reproduction and death (d'oh!) -- a necessary "loss of innocence."

In the human world, it is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that bears the seeds of death -- and therefore the possibility of growth and transcendence (which are two sides of the same reality, for to grow is to transcend).

Life is fluid and flowing, whereas death is dry and static; water is absolutely critical to life, having many characteristics that make it uniquely suitable as a medium for performing liflowsaction.

Thus, in the separation and concentration of the principles of water and earth, there has to be some way for them to mingle in order for the seed to grow. In other words, there must first be separation in order for anything at all to happen.

In fact, this is the basis of chaos theory and the science of dissipative structures. Organisms are quintessential dissipative structures, in that they are open systems that exchange matter, energy, or information with the environment. For dissipative structures, equilibrium is another word for dead.

Life itself can only manifest in a state of dynamic disequilibrium. The same applies to the mind and soul, which must remain open systems in order for them to grow. The lower mind requires knowledge and intimate human relationships, while the soul requires love, truth and beauty, and ultimately a relationship with their transcendent source, i.e., the One.

The underlying and overarching point is that life itself -- on all levels, physical, psychological, and spiritual -- is a dialectic of fluidity and solidity, of process and structure.

Now, the fifth mirrorcle recorded in John involves the act of walking on water. While Jesus is off by himsoph on the mountain (where else?), brooding over the latest misguided attempt to force him into being a worldly king (6:15), the disciples set sail aboard a tiny ship.

But what begins as a three hour tour turns into a fateful trip, as the weather starts getting rough and the tiny ship is tossed. Frankly, if not for the credence of the faithful crew, the men all would be lost -- the men all would be lost.

A voice is heard: It is I, be stillagain.

Who is I? We already know from the first, second, third, and fourth miracles that I AM is a number of things: it is the vine; it is the way, the truth and the life; it is the door; and it is the bread of life.

Here, according to Tomberg, we learn that I AM is also the "seed of heaven." The act of walking on water speaks to the fact that I AM is "not the one borne, but the bearer, not the one led, but the leader, not the one supported but the support." And this act is paralleled in "the wonder of pure faith, unsupported by anything but inner certainty, which stands above the threatening sea of relativity and doubt, and goes its own way."

The inner certainty of faith is a mirrorcle of the one thing certain in this crazy cosmos, which is the certainty of the Absolute. Why would we cling to anything less to try to avoid drowning in the ocean of existence?

Although we have to be here in order to grow and evolve, it is tempting to be a land lubber and just hold fast to the rocky terrain. But to do so is to remain a seed, a temptation that has a certain appeal, since to live as a seed is in a sense to remain in a state of infinite potential: so long as you are nothing, you are potentially anything and everything.

This was the appeal of a Barely Nobama, if that. Ah, the Mendacity of Hype. The moment he collapsed his nonlocal quantum wave function and became a local somebody, he was revealed as a big nobody whose only faith is in his empty shelleprompter, which is wanchored in the dry crockbed of his earthbound stream of unconsciousness.

Speaking of which, only a "constitutional scholar" could not know that Obamacare is unconstitutional.

So let's wrap this up. How to faithfully die to life in order to be reborn? How to be fluid and yet grounded and structured? How to be in the world, but not of the world? How to make a transistor radio out of seaweed and a belt buckle, like the Professor?

Walking on water is one thing. More challenging still is swimming on dry land.

I wish I was a fisherman
Tumblin' on the seas
Far away from dry land
and its bitter memories
Castin' out my sweet line
with abandonment and love
No ceiling bearin' down on me
save the starry sky above
With light in my head
and you in my arms...
--Waterboys, Fisherman's Blues

29 comments:

Van Harvey said...

"But what begins as a three hour tour turns into a fateful trip, as the weather starts getting rough and the tiny ship is tossed. Frankly, if not for the credence of the faithful crew, the men all would be lost -- the men all would be lost.

A voice is heard: It is I, be stillagain."

Thank Goodness for sitcalms.

Nick said...

I never even got close to getting the deeper aspect of this miracle. So the crew in the stormy water is symbolic of man and his journey in the ocean of existence, and the "I AM" voice is the the guidance and light by which we traverse the waters?

That these stories are facts that happened is one thing, that they are also illuminating the great truths of man and the cosmos is quite another. Sort of starts to back up the claim that Jesus is more than just a man (sarcasm intended, to poke fun at my disbelieving self).

Gagdad Bob said...

Yes, nobody could have invented such stories that work on so many levels. When human beings try, they end up being rather lame.

Stephen Macdonald said...

The deeply resonant "bottomless" meaning in the Bible has shocked more than a few postmodern minds who somehow or other became receptive. Leon Kass is a famous example.

The more I come to understand this in a general sense (and this recent series of posts deepens that understanding -- Tomberg amazes me) the more infantile the typical UN-receptive postmodern muddle-mind sounds when they bleat their predictable "fairy tales from 2,000 years ago" or "Go ahead and worship some ancient Jew in sandals. The rest of us will work on keeping the world sane".

All of these people -- especially the "intelligent" ones with high IQs and impressive vocabularies -- increasingly strike me as the most profoundly stupid human beings to have ever lived. I mean, that's almost axiomatic, no? They are almost 180 degrees from Truth...

Stephen Macdonald said...

David Warren isn't quite as deft with the insultainment as some here are at OC, however you have to admire the guy for calling unruly nihilistic leftists Pagan Savages smack in the middle of a fairly liberal newspaper. (These articles on his blog are all taken from his column in the Ottawa Citizen).

Stephen Macdonald said...

When human beings try, they end up being rather lame.

Indeed. The greatest writers manage to operate on a couple levels, but the Bard sure as hell never foreshadowed DNA!

Open Trench said...

I always thought that between Mary Ann and Ginger, I'd pick Mary Ann.

Although I might get Ginger's number so we could meet up once in a while.

So....how to swim on dry land. That's the rub, now isn't it.

Some say an all-out storming of heaven is the way, and everything else is just gettin' ready.

After you take care of all of your mundane bidness, then go for it whole hog.

Maybe get somewhere before you die.

mushroom said...

Grant, Mary Ann was Miss Nevada. You don't need Ginger's number.

the seed of Abraham, which implicitly contains the nation of Israel and the words of Jesus

I pray that someday the Church as a whole grasps the truth in this statement.

since to live as a seed is in a sense to remain in a state of infinite potential: so long as you are nothing, you are potentially anything and everything

This is what got the one-talent man in trouble -- though he hid his "seed" in the ground, it was wrapped up, kept dry, and preserved, not risked or truly planted. Cool.

I have a perhaps false hope that postmodernism may be fertile enough ground, if it isn't choked by weeds.

julie said...

NB -
the more infantile the typical UN-receptive postmodern muddle-mind sounds when they bleat their predictable "fairy tales from 2,000 years ago" or "Go ahead and worship some ancient Jew in sandals. The rest of us will work on keeping the world sane".

Agreed, and again that's true regardless of where it comes from. Every once in a while I'll be reading an article and comments some place, and it's always kind of pathetic to see the childish arguments back and forth - the atheists whining about people who believe in "old bearded men in the sky" or "somebody who makes thunderstorms" or whatever other patently silly idea they have, which all too often is countered by well-meaning believers who, simply by engaging the silliness, end up sounding just as ridiculous as they are accused of being for believing.

julie said...

Dloye has a reply for Mushroom's comment, but can't sign in so I'm pasting it for her:

"Re your comment at OC, (where alas, I've lost the key to place a comment meself), Postmodernism may be a surprising fertile ground as it leaves it inhabitants hungry and thirsty for the real and the true. Many live there believing themselves to be nourished, and their bleating betrays them every time.

Ideas have consequences. Living in Lalaland leaves an unquenchable thirst. Keep the faith. Many will quit denying their thirst, and move toward a real life."

Open Trench said...

Well, the question is, was Jesus really a bearded man with sandals? How do we know what he looked like?

Stephen Macdonald said...

OT:

Bob, have you seen the Stephen Kijack documentary on Scott Walker (30 Century Man)?

Wondering if I should load it on my laptop for upcoming flight...

Gagdad Bob said...

No, not interested. I don't like anything he's done since 1970.

Stephen Macdonald said...

From the blurb the documentary covers his career from the 50's forward...

Anyhow I'll give it a watch.

Gagdad Bob said...

I'd much rather see the Nilsson documentary....

julie said...

Who is Harry Nilsson?

Stephen Macdonald said...

Ono!

Stephen Macdonald said...

julie:

Nilsson was -- among other things -- John Lennon's drinking buddy/carouser in NYC during L's "lost years" early 70s.

During one binge John was ejected with Harry from a bar after John attached a sanitary napkin to his forehead and started jumping about.

Fascinating guy though -- I'll check out that documentary too.

Gagdad Bob said...

No, Who is Harry Nilsson.

julie said...

;)

Van Harvey said...

Julie said "Who is Harry Nilsson?"

Kids.

Sheesh.



;-)

Open Trench said...

Well I'm planning a get-together at the Imperial Palace in Vegas for Independence Day weekend.

Anyone up for it?

Should be better than Yosemite. Not so many Rangers.

mushroom said...

Will there be Coconuts?

Or pie?

Or coconut pie?

Open Trench said...

Mushroom:

Oh yes there will be pie.

What kind? U will find out.

Rick said...

wv: coonsub of course is yellow

ge said...

this huge NILSSON fan recommends the docu. highly---note: via online netflix you dont get the 90 mins of extra's, and the dvd is over a month late [waiting list].
A beautifully-replete must-visit site is called 'for the love of harry'
His tribute of Yoko's songs is earopening.
and i shall name my daughter
Tersita
[wv]

Rick said...

Re float plans,

"Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat."
Mark 8:14

Now that's a strange thing to say..
Or, our little problem becomes our big solution.

Matthew C Smallwood said...

Reminds me of something Guenon said, about the whole point being the beginning of something hard and greater that others would have the facilities to complete.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

"This was the appeal of a Barely Nobama, if that. Ah, the Mendacity of Hype. The moment he collapsed his nonlocal quantum wave function and became a local somebody, he was revealed as a big nobody whose only faith is in his empty shelleprompter, which is wanchored in the dry crockbed of his earthbound stream of unconsciousness."

Ha! Well said, Bob! ObaMao is certainly a wanker with nothin' deeper than shill waters to sale in.

Van- Ha ha! Another excellent word. :^)

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